One of the main objectives of the research is to develop in a more quantitative detail the structural factors which influence the spectral properties of polypeptide chanins in statistical conformation and to study the relationship between such measurements as circular dichroism, high resolution NMR spectroscopy and cis-trans isomerization and the influence of added species. Principle focus is on the pyrrolidine type polymers where the isomerization can be easily accomplished and quantitatively determined and its influence on molecular ccnformation assessed. The results with other polypeptides, particularly non-ionizing ones, can then be compared using the pyrrolidine chains as reference. Another problem being studied is the phase separation properties of a dilute solution of geometrically asymmetric macromolecules such as poly(L-glutamic acid) in helical form. We are interested in studing the mechanism by which axially oriented macromolecular systems can form without any external restraints being imposed. Initially it is necessary to establish the phase boundaries and the condition under which gels, which are known to form, intervene in to process. When these facts have been established, then a proper study of the mechanism can be undertaken.